The present invention is related to grading of master patterns resulting in a duplication of the outline of the pattern at an increased or decreased size. More specifically, patterns used for the production of garments are graded to provide up-sizing and down-sizing of the master pattern as required for a particular use. It should be expressly understood however, that the method and device of the present invention are useful, and may be used, for the grading of any pattern regardless of the material of which the pattern or copy material is constructed, or the use to which either is to be put.
Generally, a master pattern for any particular style of garment is constructed with dimensions corresponding to one specific size of the garment. More particularly, for each grouping of garment, such as; womens, juniors, or petites, the master patterns are generally available only in one size. For example, master patterns for womens garments are available in size 10, while juniors are size 9 and petite are size 8. In order to provide clothing in all sizes required by the consuming public, grading of the master patterns to both larger and smaller sizes is required. While the range of sizes for any particular garment is relatively broad, the master pattern is generally provided at a size nearer the bottom of the range. For example, womens sizes range from 4 to 20, while the master pattern is a size 10. Likewise, junior sizes range from 5 to 17 and petites from 4 to 14. In order to accomodate the entire range of sizes, the original pattern must be duplicated, in contour, while changing the area between the smallest and largest sizes.
Grading a master pattern to alter the size is not necessarily a simple matter of linearly increasing the outline or contour. Increasing or decreasing the length of the garment a specific dimension does not necessarily result in a corresponding increase or decrease, respectively, of the neck opening or arm opening, for instance. As a result, grading of patterns requires a considerable amount of knowledge and judgment on the part of an operator of any device which might be used for grading the patterns.
Initially, an operator intending to grade a pattern be either up-sizing or down-sizing positioned a master pattern on a portion of copy material and caused the master pattern to move along a two dimensional path on the surface of the copy material in accordance with rules of grading. The path along which the pattern moved was established by the outline of the pattern and a standard ruler calibrated in sixteenths of an inch. Rules of grading involved in up-sizing from 10 to 12 include for instance: moving the neckline and shoulder out 1/16 inch and over 3/32 inch; the shoulder and arm out 1/4 inch and over 3/32 inch; the arm and side out 5/8 inch and over 7/32 inch; the waist out 5/8 inch and over 11/32 inch; and, the length out 5/8 inch and over 15/32 inch. Use of a standard ruler for grading the patterns presented disadvantages in maintaining the starting point of the path, maintaining the orientation of the pattern with respect to the copy material and providing the appropriate dimensional changes at each critical point of change.
Over the years a number of devices have been devised for assistance in grading patterns. Regardless of the device used for grading, the experience in judgment of an operator in providing the degree in increase or decrease for each critical point on the pattern has been required. Prior art devices removably secure a master pattern relative to a portion of the device while a copy material is maintained in position with respect to the device. The device secures the master pattern in a manner allowing for movement of the pattern relative to the copy material and a base of the device in two perpendicular directions. Movement of the master pattern is accomplished by any suitable means, such as a rack and pinion mechanism mounted on the base of the device. A scale positioned relative to each of the two perpendicular directions of movement indicates the extent of movement of the master pattern from a central or zero position.
In grading a master pattern, the operator provides the expertise and judgment, as before, in determining the degree of movement in each direction for each critical point of the pattern. Movement of the master pattern along a preselected path is accomplished by manually adjusting mechanical movement means in each of the two directions. While these devices provide a substantial improvement over the prior method of using a standard ruler, the judgment of the operator and physical adjustment of the movement means are still required. Additionally, these devices are extremely expensive for the amount of hardware provided, for example: $600-325 per unit. Examples of grading devices in the prior art are units manufactured under the names of Dario and Sunny-Young Inc.
Still a more recent attempt to develop an improved grading device involves a two dimensional ruler such as that marketed by Rick Offredo. This grading device is fixed relative to a work surface and copy material, while a master pattern is moved along a preselected grading path relative to the device. While this two dimensional ruler must be kept small in size to avoid interference with the grading of the master pattern, the resultant small size is disadvantageous due to maintenance of orientation of the master pattern relative to the device and limitation of movement in the two dimensions.